Explanation:
The December solstice brings
the beginning of Winter to
Earth's Northern Hemisphere and Summer time to the South!
This view of Earth's
Southern Hemisphere near the beginning of
Summer was created using images from the
Galileo spacecraft
taken during its
December 1990 flyby of our
fair planet.
Dramatically
centered on the South Pole,
this mosaic was constructed by piecing together images
made over a 24 hour period so that the
entire hemisphere appears to be in sunlight.
South America (middle left),
Africa (upper right), and
Australia (lower right), are visible as dark masses while
Antarctica gleams brightly in the center.
Swirling clouds marking regularly spaced major weather
systems are also prominent.